The Relay of Gazes

Representations of Culture in the Japanese Televisual and Cinematic Experience
A demonstration that analysis of a variety of films and television programs is the key to revealing how dramatically Japan's image has evolved in decades. This title analyzes the films and programs include anime of Hayao Miyazaki, Japanese-American latter-day musical films, and US television coverage of the Kobe earthquake.
The Relay of Gazes is a study of multimedia representations of Japanese culture in the latter half of the twentieth century. Carol Ota examines the way these representations changed and reflected social and personal concerns during a period of accelerating globalization. Analyzing the "gaze" or perspectives represented in these films and television programs, Ota determines that these gazes converge at many unexpected places. Ota concludes that the films share an assumption of the social centrality of television in shaping the gaze, but more importantly she demonstrates how the films and television programs are in line with concerns of traditions of past eras. The Relay of Gazes is a multidisciplinary text that is appropriate for all levels of readers and focuses primarily on Japan studies and film.